It hits you all at once when you step out to a part of the pedestrian walkway that’s lined with a white tarp hiding the source of the stench, a massive $500 million repainting job.

Brooklyn Community Board 2 district manager Rob Perris says he’s gotten complaints. So, he took it to the Department of Transportation.

“They told me that they use the same paint on every bridge throughout the city and didn’t really have an explanation, but they agreed that the smell was stronger on the Brooklyn Bridge,” Perris told WCBS 880 reporter Alex Silverman.

As a former painter himself, Perris says, in an open air environment like this, it’s probably not a health concern.

The DOT released this statement Friday afternoon:

This work is being conducted in accordance to the US Environmental Protection Act and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation requirements. The paint has undergone extensive testing and neither the paint nor its fumes are toxic, though we will monitor reports of the paint’s odor.

Also, it is not unusual to receive reports of paint odor when this type of work on DOT bridge structures is underway. We are following the same procedures and materials as other bridges in this instance.

Have you smelled the stench from the paint job? Share your story in the comments section below!